To the Editor:
My name is Fenton Groff III. I was born in Cape May County. I was raised in Avalon and grew up playing in Mayor Armacost Park on 74th Street, as well as the beachfront property that my father, Fenton Groff Jr., proudly owned.
My father moved to Avalon before I was born in 1963 and bought several properties throughout the borough. He was able to get these valued properties dirt cheap due to the market scare after the 1962 March storm that wiped out the first four blocks of Avalon.
I used to ask my dad, “Why does Avalon begin naming their streets at 5th Street?” That is because the first four are now in the Townsend‘s Inlet.
I add this fact because my father became one of the top environmental protection activists in this area. He led the Avalon Environmental Commission with Mayor Armacost and others during the late 60s and early 70s.
My father was integral in developing the dune grass planting program for several years, utilizing the local school kids and Public Works resources. I, my brother and our friends were part of that dune grass planting mission.
Over three decades of my father’s passion and hard work and others that contributed are responsible for the success of protecting our beloved beaches and furthermore our beach community homes.
However, during my father’s 50-year residency in Avalon, he introduced the Japanese Black Pine tree to also help shore up the beachfront where we lived on 74th Street and the beach. Even though this hearty pine tree is not indigenous, it became a beautiful part of the dune landscape and its dune preservation.
After my father’s passing in late 2006, it was decided (with environmental consultation from Mr. Lomax and others) to remove them entirely from the beachfront areas.
I wrote an article in the 2010 AC Press to voice my concerns, which was thoroughly countered and mitigated by Avalon’s Mayor Pagliughi.
Although I am not completely convinced of the Black Pine’s detriment to our dunes, I appreciate the science and conservation efforts behind their removal.
I do revisit my childhood home on the 74th Street beach to check up on the replanting progress. I commend Mr. Lomax, the mayor of Avalon, and those who replanted the Bayberry and other natural plants to that area I once lived and enjoyed.
I only wished more tall red cedars were planted there to make up for the huge efforts my father contributed to, not just his own beachfront property but the entire South Jersey protective dune system.
My father, who was a WWII Navy veteran and flew his American flag proudly every day, showed me how to volunteer as a young kid, planting dune stollens up and down the Avalon beachfront.
He educated me on how there was absolutely nothing between the sea and his beachfront home on 74th Street, circa 1966, not one shrub or plant, only a very small storm fence to hold back the coming nor’easter rages to come.
My father decided right then and there to do something for his Avalon community. He began rebuilding our dunes.
Happy Memorial Day to my dad and to all who have served and sacrificed. God bless the USA.
